IPOH, 29 April 2009: The Perak state assembly will still need to sit on 7 May despite there being a dispute in the courts as to who is the rightful menteri besar of Perak, said Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir.

Zambry said this was because his position as menteri besar is valid as long as the courts have not made a decision on the matter.

“I and my executive councillors (excos) have the right to occupy the seats allocated to us. The speaker must respect this unless the courts decide otherwise,” he told reporters after chairing the weekly state executive council meeting here today.

On calls by former menteri besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin yesterday for the 7 May sitting to be deferred until the courts decide whether he or Zambry is the rightful menteri besar, Zambry said calling the state assembly sitting was not within his powers.

“As menteri besar I can only make a recommendation, but the final say as to when the sitting should take place is with Sultan Azlan Shah of Perak. It was the sultan who fixed the date,” he said.

Yesterday, the Federal Court in a unanimous decision said it was for the High Court in Kuala Lumpur to determine who was the rightful menteri besar of Perak. The High Court will hear the case on 4 May. — Bernama